The family of a North tourist who lost his arm in a bike smash in Thailand have been forced to raid his grandmother's funeral fund in a bid to bring him home.

Lucky-to-be-alive Darren Fenwick is still in hospital after the horrific accident but his parents face a huge medical bill after he travelled without insurance.

Distraught mum Carol told of the desperate lengths she's gone to to help her stricken son and revealed how the 27- year-old had originally gone away to get over a split from his long-term girlfriend.

Tearful Carol said: "It's horrible. His life will never be the same again. What makes it worse is not knowing what will happen. We've had to borrow #3500 from my mum's funeral money for my trip out there. It's awful."

Carol, who cares for 76-year-old mum Irene Stevenson, went to Thailand last week but could not afford to stay. Her ex-husband, Darren's dad Dave, is keeping a vigil at his bedside in Bangkok.

So far, his family, of Middlesbrough, have had to borrow more than #6000 for nine operations to his arm and legs following the accident last month in which Darren came off his motorbike and smashed into the back of a taxi.

The couple estimate that they have spent #10,000 and now need a further #4500 to fly Darren home as the stretcher will take up six airplane seats. Extra money will also be needed for further operations, drugs and a prosthetic limb.

Carol, 43, said: "It broke my heart leaving him like that. I want to be with him but I just don't have the money to stay.

"When we found out we were all absolutely devastated. I was hysterical. The British Consulate called and just said his arm has been ripped off. I didn't know what to expect when I got there.

"But he still isn't through the worst of it. We really do not know what is going to happen to him. I'm just frightened for my son. It's going to be a long road."

The mum-of-two added: "I knew he didn't have insurance as he booked it the same day he went. I know what he's like, he's impulsive."

The family have vowed to reimburse anyone who offers them money and are desperate for any financial help. And Carol hopes her son's misfortune will warn other travellers to get insured.

Darren saved up #3000 by working as a labourer in London to go on the trip. He booked the holiday at the end of May, one day after splitting with his girlfriend of almost three years.

Carol said: "It was his chance to get over her and chill out and now his life will never be the same. But the main thing now is just getting him home, safe and well."

The accident left Darren with a broken femur, fibula and tibia in the left leg and a torn muscle in the right leg, which Thai doctors are working on rebuilding.

His most recent operation at Bamrungraj Hospital, on Thursday, involved a skin graft from his head to his arm.

Carol's partner, Bill, said: "His dad is out there with him and doing everything he can to raise the money. Every injection costs money, every tablet costs money and we just don't have anything left to give."

Carol said: "While I was there he was heavily sedated most of the time, but when he was awake he cried a lot."